Wrapping and sealing apparatus



4 1932- G. J. EGENOLF 80,926

WRAPPING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed June 11-, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mm m A A V W W A a -Oct. 4, 1932.

G. J. EGENOLF WRAPPING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed June 11. 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

GEORGE .Z [sf/mu.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE J. EGENOLEOF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. L. MACDANIEL PRINTING COMPANY, INC., OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION WRAPPING AND SEALING APPARATUS Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to a machine for folding articles, such as paper or cloth, and sealtempted by one of the players of the game.

In my Patent No. 1,787,817, issued J anuary 6, 1931, and in my co-pending application,

Serial No. 506,782, filed-January 5, 1931, I

have disclosed and claimed a machine par- 'ticularly adapted to fold and seal such pieces of paper. The object of the present invention is to make improvements in the mechanism disclosed in the said patent and co-pending application.

As in the said previous patent and application, the specific object of the apparatus is to fold papers as described above, but it is possibl to use the invention for other purposes,- as for example, folding and sealing payroll checks so that the "name of the payee is visible and the amount of the check is invisible. The invention may also be used where no visible matter is to be exposed,as for example, folding and sealing circulars for mailing or folding and sealing handkerchiefs or wash cloths for sale. Accordingly, although the following specification is drawn to a machine for folding and sealing small slips of paper, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form herein disclosed. I

The principal feature of the present invention resides in the novel form of apparatus used in the wrapping and sealing of the articles.

Other features of the invention and the full nature thereof will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following specification and claims;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of-a complete folding and sealing machine embodying the 1931. Serial N0. 543,539.

invention. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the machinetaken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2. Figure {1 is a similar sectional view taken substantially on the line 4.4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a perspective view of certain of the sealing members in assembled relation. Figure 7 is a sectional view of a particular detail taken on the line 77 of Figure 1. Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are elevational views of members used in the manipulation of the wrapping material shown 7 in different positions during their cycles of operation.

Referring to the drawings, a plurality of legs support an upper deck member 21,

an intermediate deck member 22 and a lower deck member 23. An electric motor 24 is mounted on the lower deck member 23 and carries, on its shaft 25, a pinion 26 and pulley 27. A second shaft 28 carries a spur gear 29 and pulley 30.

Mounted on suitable bearings on the intermediate deck member 22 are three shafts, 31, 32 and 33. Bevel gears 36 constitute a driving connection between the three shafts. A pulley 37 is mounted on the shaft 31 and is driven from thepulley 30 by a belt 38 (shown in Figure 1 but not shown in Figure 3). The shafts 31, 32 and 33 carry a plurality of cams which are used to impart the desired motions to the various parts of the machine, as will be hereinafter described. Each shaft makes one complete revolution for each cycle of operation of the machine and one completely folded and sealed-paper is delivered from the machine at each cycle.

A hand wheel 39, shown in Figure 2, is

carried on the shaft 31 and is used for small movements of the machine in making adjustments.

Four vertical bars 40 constitute a magablock 11 connected to a vacuum pump 42 driven by a belt 43 from the pulley.27, all as described in the before-mentioned issued patcut and co-pending' application. The papers from the magazine are placed upon receiving plates 44 and v45 by the movement of the said suction block and are folded about a reciprocable tongue 46 (Figure 5) carried on a reciprocable member 47. This is accomplished by folding apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 48 and described in detail in the 'said patent and co-pending application. Since this apparatus forms no part of the present invention, it will not be carries a roll of paper 57 or other material to be used for wrapping and sealing the folded papers. A frictional tension is maintained on the roll of paper on the reel 55 by means of a leather belt 58 and counterweight 59, one end of the said belt being fastened to the standard 56. The free end 60 of the strip of paper from the roll 57 is led beneath a roller 61. The roller 61 is carried by a' pair of frame members 62 supported upon the'upper deck 21. The said frame members form, with a cross member 63, a reservoir for paste or glue 64. One endof the paste reservoir is closed by a paste roller 65 having raised and knurled portions 66. A roller 67 is located beneath the paste roller and the paper 60 is threaded between the rollers 65 and 67 and thence between another pair of rollers 68'and 69.

Each'of the knurled portions 66 on the roller 65 carries a film of paste to the paper. The said knurled portions may be located so that the paste is placed on the paper at any desired position. Herein three strips of paste are used, one in the center and one at each edge-of the paper. The roller 68 carries raised portions 70 adapted to contact with the paper in. the space between the strips of aste. The said roller is mounted in bearings 71 slidably carried on portions of the frame members 62. An adjustable spring 72 abuts againsteach of the bearings 71 and serves to maintain the roller 68 in yielding contact with the paper. The rollers and 69 are connected by a train of gears 73 to rotatein opposite directions and with'the same peripheral velocity.

The roller 65 is carried on a shaft 74 which also carries a pair of ratchet wheels 75 and 76 fixed thereto. Rotatably mounted on the said shaft is a bell crank 77 carrying on one of its arms a spring .pawl 78 adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 75. The opposite arm of the bell crank 77 is pivotally connected tothe upper end of a vertical member 79 .mounted on the member 79 and is guided within the said guideway. By this construction, the rotation of shaft 31- causes vertical reciprocation of the member 79 and thereby causes rotation of the rollers 65 and 69 through a given distance for each cycle of the machine. The rotation of the said rollers causes thepaper 60 to be drawn from the reel and the size of-the ratchet teeth 75 is selected to draw the proper length of paper for each cycle to wrap one of the folded papers. A hand lever 84 is rotatably carried on the shaft 74 and carries a spring pawl 85 adapted to engage the teeth of ratchet wheel 76. By means of this hand lever, the rollers may be manually rotated forthreading in the paper or for adjustments.

Out-0 and hold-down mechanism members '62. The slide 86 has fastenedv thereto a knife blade 88. A second slide 89 is formed withslotted openings 90 therein engaging screws 91 which are carried by the slide 86. Thus the slide 89 is free for vertical movement. with respect to the slide 86;

The slide 89 carries a pair of downwardlyprojecting fingers 92 for holding down the severed pieces of wrapping material as hereinafter described. The knife slide 86 is ported atits midpoint on a standard 95.

The-opposite end of the said lever ispivotally connected to the upper end of a vertical member 96, the lower end of which terminates in a fork 97 straddling the shaft 32. A roller I 98 is mounted upon a portion of the fork 97 and moves in an irregular guideway 99 formed in the face of a cam 100 carried by the shaft 32.

The slide 89 is raised and lowered by means of a stem 101 pivotally fastened thereto. The said stem extends through an opening in one end of a lever 102 which is pivotally fastened at its midpoint to the standard 95. The upper end of said-stem is fitted with nuts 103 engaging the upper surface of said.

lever. A compression spring 104 surrounds said stem beneath said lever and abuts at its upper end against the lower surface of said lever and at its lower end against a suitable spring seat resting on top of the slide 89.

Thus the slide 89 is positively raised by movement of the lever while the spring 104 provides a yielding connection between saidslide and lever when the slide is forced downwardly. The opposite end of lever 102 is pivotally fastened to a vertical member 105. The said member rests against the vertical member 96 and is maintained in parallel relation with respect thereto by means of guides 106 fastened upon the member 96. The lower end of the member 105 carries a roller 107 travelling in. the guideway' 99. By means of this apparatus, the knife blade is raised and lowered once for each cycleof the machine. The slide 89 is also raised and lowered with a similar motion which, however, takes place slightly later than the motion of the knife slide, due to the fact that roller 107 follows roller 98 in the guideway 99.

Wrapping and sealing mechanism shaft 32. By this means, the reciprocable member 109 is moved backwardly and forwardly in the groove 108 once for each cycle of operation of the machine.

A pair of bearing brackets 117 are'fastened to the underside of the upper deck 21 and support a shaft 118. The said shaft is driven from shaft 31 by means of a pair of spur gears 119. The said spur gears are of equal size and, therefore, revolve the shaft 118 once for each revolution of shaft 31. The shaft 118 carries a cam 120 upon the periphery of which a roller 121 may travel. The

said roller is carried by one end of a yoke lever 122 pivotally mounted upon a bracket 123 in turn carried upon the underside of upper deck 21. A tension spring 124 is fastened at one end to the yoke lever 122 and at its other end to the intermediate deck 22. It

thus serves to maintain the'roller 121 in yielding engagement with the cam 120. The yoke lever 122 has pivotally attached to its outer end a grip member 125 extending upwardly through an opening in the upper deck 21.

The upper end of the said grip member is formed with upraised end portions 126 hav- A wrapping slide 129, hereinafter referred to as the-left hand wrapping slide, is positioned above the left hand portion of the reciprocable member-109, referring to Figure 3. The said slide is formed with a bifurcated end 130 (Figure 6) and the opposite end is spring 135 is connected at one-end to the lever 131 and at the other end to a bracket 136 fastened onthe undersurface of the upper deck 21.

The cam 134 is so formed that the wrapping slide 129 is reciprocated once for each cycle of operation of the machine.

A wrapping slide 137, hereinafter referred to as the right hand wrapping slide, is positioned above the right hand portion of the reciprocating member 109 and is guided by means of a pair of lugs 138 formed upon undersurface of the upper deck 21. The op-- posite end 142 of said lever projects downwardly and carries a roller 143 engaging an irregular guideway 144 in the periphery of a cam 145 carried upon the shaft 31. The guideway 144 is so formed that the right hand wrapping slide 137 is reciprocated once fon each cycle of operation of the machine. Operation I In the operation of the mechanism,- the blade 88 and fingers92 are in the upraised position shown in Figure 8 when the rollers 65 and 69 are rotated to advance the paper 60 into the position shown in Figure 4. The downward movement of the knife blade 88 is then commenced immediately followed by the downward movement of the fingers 92 and accompanied by an upward movement of the grip member 125.- The knife blade 88 cooperates with a knife block 146 to sever a piece of paper 147 from the end of the strip 60 of suflicient siZe to wrap one of the folded papers.

The'movement of the members is so timed 1 that the fingers 92 and grip member 125, engage opposite sides of the paper 147 as it is cut-from the strip 60. This position of theparts is shown in Figure 9. At this point, the movement of the knife 88 has reached its downward limit'but the fingers 92 continue their downward travel. The relative strength of the springs 104 and 124is so chosen that the continued downwardtravel of the fingers 92 may force the grip member 125 downwardly against the action of spring 124 until the paper comes to rest upon the upper sur- 'upraised portions 126 of the face of the reciprocable member 109, as shown in Figure 10. In this movement, it will be seen that the paper is gripped firmly between the fingers 92 and grip member 125 so that it is impossible for the paper to move in an undesired manner. In the movement from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 10, it is also seen that the ends of the paper engage the ends of the wrapping slides 129 and 137 and are thereby bent into the position shown in Figure 10. W

With the parts in the position of Figure 10, the reciprocable member47 is moved to the right in Figure 4 until it reaches the position shown in Figure 5. In that position, the tongue 46 has brought the folded paper 49 into position above the wrapping material 147. When this position has been reached, the upward movement of the fingers 92 begins and the grip member 125 is free to move upwardly under the influence of spring 124 into the positionshown in Figure 11. In this position, the grip member 125 presses the wrapping material 147 .firmly against the underside of the folded paper 49 which is still held in place by the tongue 46. The

ip member 125 are positioned to engage i1 wrapping material 147 at each side of the folded paper so that the said paper rests upon the depressed portion 127 and will not be moved to right or left in the subsequent sealing operation.

.VVith the parts in the position shown in Figure 11, the right hand wrapping slide 137 is moved to the left and operates to fold one end of the wrapping material about the folded papen, The said slide is then retracted and the left hand wrapping slide 129 is moved to the rightto fold the opposite end of the wrapping material about the folded paper. The tongue 46 and the grip member 125 are then withdrawn and the reciprocating member 109 is moved to the left, bringing the'lugs 138 into engagement with the folded and sealed papers. In this movement, the paper is pushed by the lugs 138 beneath the left hand wrapping slide 129 to a point beyond a spring-pressed dog 148 which extends downwardly between the forks 130 of the slide 129 (Figures 3 and 6). The said dog prevents the return ofthe papers when the reciprocable member 109 is again moved to the right. A second spring-pressed dog 149, carried within the member 109, serves a similar purpose. When the last-mentioned movement takes place, the parts have returned to their initial position and the cycle is then repeated. Each folded .and sealed paper, as.

it is moved between the slide- 129 and the re ciprocable member 109, pushes the preceding paper ahead of it until they are discharged into a container 150 carried at the side of the machine.

The invention claimed is: 1. In a-machineof the class described, the

combination of apparatus for supplying a strip of wrapping material, a reciprocable knife blade. adapted to cut a piece of material from said strip, a hold-down member adapted to engage one surface. of said piece of material, a yielding grip member adapted to engage the other surface thereof, and apparatus for moving the said members in timed relation with the movement of said knife blade to grasp said piece when cut and to move the same into position to receive an article to be wrapped therein.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of apparatus for supplying a strip of wrapping material, a reciprocable knife blade adapted to cut a piece of material from said strip, a hold-down member adapted to engage one surface of said piece of material, a receiving member for receiv-- ing the cut piece thereon, a yielding grip member movable through an opening in said receiving member and adapted to engage the opposite surface of said piece when out, and

adapted to engage one surface of said piece of material, a receiving member for receiving.

the cut piece thereon, a yielding grip member movable through an opening in said receiving member and adapted to engage the opposite surface of said piece when cut, and apparatus for movmg said hold-down member and cut and to move the same to rest on said recelvlng member in position to recelve an article to be wrapped therein, said apparatus including a yielding connec ion for said hold-down member whereby the cut piece is yieldingly held upon said receiving member.

4. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of apparatus for supplying a strip of wrapping material, a reciprocable knife blade adapted to cut a piece of material from said strip, a hold-down member adapted to engage one surface of .said piece of material, a grip member adapted to engage the other surface thereof, a receiving membef for receiving the cut piece thereon,; said member having an opening therein .thij'ou h which saidgrip member may pass, blad 7 moving apparatus for movin said knife blade to out said piece from sai strip, holddown moving apparatus operating during the movement of said blade for bringing said hold-down member into engagement with said piece and operating thereafter to press said piece against saldreceiving member, sald 5 said grip member to grasp said piece when i I apparatus including a yielding connection whereby the cut piece is yieldingly held upon l said receiving member, and grip member moving apparatus operating simultaneously with the movement of said hold-down member to move said grip member through the opening in said receiving member to engage the underside of said piece when cut, said last-mentioned apparatus including a yielding connection of less strength than said first-mentioned yielding connection whereby said grip member yieldingly holds said piece, against said hold-down member in its movement to said receiving member.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of apparatus for supplying a strip of wrapping material, a reciprocable knife blade adapted to cut a piece of material from said strip, a hold-down member adapt- 1 ed to engage one surface of said pieceof ma- 7 terial, a yielding grip member adapted to engage the other surface thereof, a receiving member for receiving the cut piece thereon, said member having an. opening therein through which 'said grip member may pass, mechanism for placing an article to be wrapped in position adjacent said piece of Wrapping material on said receiving member, blade-moving apparatus for moving said knife blade to out said piece from said strip, hold-down moving apparatus operating to move said hold-down member to press said out piece against said receiving member and operating after the placing of said article to withdraw said hold-down member, and grip member moving apparatus operating to move said grip member through the opening in said receiving member to engage the said piece when cut, said last-mentioned apparatus including a yielding connection whereby said grip member yieldingly holds said piece against said hold down member in its movement to said receiving member and yieldingly holds said piece against said article when said hold-down member has been withdrawn.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE J. EGENOLF. 

